Letters To The Editor

December 04, 1990

EMPTY THREATS

A headline in the Nov. 20 Daily Press read "Pact makes history of Cold War." Unfortunately, that's not the case. Ten million people in the three Baltic states, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, know that such is not the case. Several people in the U.S. State Department, who are "keepers" of our country's captive nations policy, should know that such is not the case.

At a time when Kuwait enjoys so much of our attention by just beginning to face the kind of situation that the Baltic states have faced for more than 50 years, we can't afford to forget that an integral part of our Cold War rhetoric included statements regarding our unswerving commitment to freedom for the Baltic nations.

Your headline sweeps the fate of 10 million people under the rug (the 10 million people we vowed, during the entire Cold War period, to never forget).

No wonder Saddam Hussein is not paying much attention to our threats. He's got historical examples to look at which show our true resolve.

Joseph Arlauskas

Gloucester

JOIN RECYCLING EFFORT

My class is trying to help assist our fellow recyclers by encouraging everyone to recycle. We are trying to help increase the beauty of our Earth.

You can help by using only safe sprays and reducing use of gasoline and oil. Even if we don't return the Earth to perfection, we will at least add 20 or 30 years to the lives of our great-great-grandchildren by not increasing the already gigantic hole in the ozone layer. Please help us recycle.

Michelle Harding

Williamsburg

MAKE IT LIKE IT WAS

My husband and I were watching old home movies of the Hampton Christmas parades our parents had taken us to in the sixties. The big event was captivating with floats sponsored by local stores, marching bands, old cars and ending with Santa in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. It was something to behold.

We recently started a family of our own and decided to start the annual tradition with our son. We took our video camera and set out for the big event. An excited couple - newcomers to the area - sat next to us with anticipation as the time for the start of the parade drew near.

Much to our disappointment the parade had vastly changed. The once beautiful floats were replaced by groups of marching youngsters, the bands marched by but played very little Christmas music and Santa made his big debut on a fire engine. The newcomers were disappointed and we, quite frankly, were embarrassed for our community. Our child fell asleep and our video camera never taped.

If we're going to take the time to put on a parade, shouldn't we take the time to do it right? We would like to make the parade what it used to be.

Marcie and Joey Stickle

Hampton

LEGAL RIGHTS REBUTTAL

In his Nov. 15 reply to my letter on legal rights, Robert G. Scott seems dismayed at the thought of citizens thinking for themselves without being prompted by police. Do we really want suspects who are guilty and willing to admit it to clam up until a clever lawyer can devise ways to avoid punishment? Prompt admission of guilt would save significant legal costs for the public, courts, police and victims.

Examples given by Scott have little relation to Miranda. The complete Bill of Rights still exists, and implying that my simple proposal to provide advance advice would destroy our rights is a theatrical ploy to detract from the great benefits that Miranda pays to lawyers.

Substitution of my plan for Miranda might start a trend to halt the erosion of rights of common citizens.

M. E. Matteson

Hampton

NOT RESPONSIBLE

Who will we blame if we march into a long drawn out victoryless war, the president? Congress? I'm afraid not.

As always we the people will bear the awaiting consequences, and those consequences will be families without fathers and mothers, fathers and mothers without sons and daughters, another tab to tack on to our national deficit, unemployment, hunger and strife among those who are stateside.

My opinion is let the Arab world set its own family in order. Let blood, if it must flow, flow from veins within its own family. I was raised with this thought, "If someone comes to my home and looks for trouble, it's my home, do what you have to do." Kuwait is far from being my home so let the homeowners beware.

Lewis A. Saunders Jr.

Yorktown

APPRECIATED SERVICE

We have lived in Newport News more than 30 years and enjoyed the Newport News parks and have played a lot of golf at Deer Run golf courses. I have read many letters screaming about the poor conditions of the course and few saying how really nice they are now. The fairways and greens are excellent and as soon as they open the front nine of the cardinal course up for the new greens that will make it all well done.